Danny Cowley handling young Huddersfield Town players like Emile Smith Rowe and Chris Willock with kid gloves

Huddersfield Town manager Danny Cowley says Emile Smith Rowe “could find space in a telephone box” but cannot play three games in a week. Not yet.
Chris Willock: Marked his first start for Huddersfield Town with a goal. (Picture: Bruce Rollinson)Chris Willock: Marked his first start for Huddersfield Town with a goal. (Picture: Bruce Rollinson)
Chris Willock: Marked his first start for Huddersfield Town with a goal. (Picture: Bruce Rollinson)

With 19-year-old Smith Rowe, Chris Willock (22), Lewis O’Brien (21), and Trevor Chalobah (20), on the pitch there was a real youthful vibrancy about Tuesday’s 2-1 win over Bristol City, but Cowley has to be “ frustratingly cautious” with his youngsters.

It is why Arsenal loanee Smith Rowe was on the bench at Derby County and Swansea City, and goalscorer Willock was starting for the first time in midweek against Bristol City.

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“It’s horrible really because you don’t want to leave them out, the supporters don’t want you to leave them out, you know if you do you’re going to get hammered, and they don’t want to be left out,” admitted Cowley. “You have to use your experience and stay emotion-free because if you do overuse them in this early phase you could break them.

Chris Willock celebrates scoring Huddersfield's opening goal. (
Picture: Bruce Rollinson)Chris Willock celebrates scoring Huddersfield's opening goal. (
Picture: Bruce Rollinson)
Chris Willock celebrates scoring Huddersfield's opening goal. ( Picture: Bruce Rollinson)

“We’re hoping by the time we get to our next three-game week, in March, Emile will definitely be ready to do that.”

That trio have made it more difficult by playing so well.

“He could find space in a telephone box,” said Cowley of No 10 Smith Rowe.

“He receives on the back foot, speeds the play up for you, draws and commits (opponents). It would have been a brilliant performance on Tuesday if he had scored.

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“To me he’s a Premier League player so, like Karlan (Grant), I have to demand Premier League standards day in, day out.

“He’s never had to back games up two in a week, let alone three. He’s 19 and supporters will say he should be able to play every day of the week.

“He wants to but he went to Leipzig (on loan) last year, they didn’t quite look after his training and he ended up injured.

“We have to be frustratingly cautious. It doesn’t suit me.”

Willock also started at Arsenal, but moved to Benfica in 2017. He spent the first half of this season at West Bromwich Albion without playing, and joined Huddersfield on loan in January.

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“He had a good loan at Benfica but the football there is Saturday to Saturday and the intensity is different,” said Cowley.

Willock, for his part, said: “I haven’t played for six months so any little bit is great.”